35 candidates filed so far for 2018 election

Fri, 08/31/2018 - 1:24pm

By

Samoa News staff

reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Of the more than 30 possible candidates for the 2018 mid term election that have filed candidates’ petition, three of them are for the American Samoa’s Delegate seat to the US House of Representatives.

Deadline to file a candidate’s petition for the Nov. 6th general election is 4:30p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 1 — and the Election Office will be open in order to comply with local law.

As in past elections, the Election Office staff is expected to be busy today and tomorrow, with more possible candidates showing up at the last minute to file their petitions.

Election officials confirmed to Samoa News yesterday morning that three candidates have filed for the Congressional race, including incumbent Congresswoman Aumua Amata and two former congressional candidates in previous elections — Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman and Tuika Tuika Jr.

Aumua and Suitonu-Chapman have publicly announced their candidacy while Samoa News learned from others in the community that Tuika also plans to run.

In the local House of Representatives race, a total of 33 possible candidates have filed their petitions, including several House incumbents. Samoa News understands that Rep. Toeaina Faufano Autele is not seeking re-election for Manu’a District #2 — comprising Ofu, Olosega and Sili.

As of the Wednesday afternoon, the Tualauta county, which has two House seats, has the highest number of possible candidates who have picked up petitions, totaling 9 — and only five have already filed their candidacy petitions.

The Election Office plans to release early next week the official list of candidates that the Chief Election Office determines have qualified to run for public office.